"Hopkins has a tough fight," said the 25-year-old undefeated Cleverly.

"Against one of the toughest in the division, Chad Dawson is a class fighter.

"It will be a difficult fight at his age, against a young fresh fighter and I have my doubts.

"But Hopkins is good at finding a way to win and I hope he can do it on the night and keep our great potential fight alive.

"If he beats Dawson and wins and I beat Krasniqi, we can pretty much say the fight will take place in Wales the summer - and that will be a massive event."

Cleverly is in training for his fourth defence against WBO number four ranked Krasniqi, who has never been stopped in 39 fights, at London's Royal Albert Hall.

But the Welshman is hoping for a routine defence against the Kosovan before Cleverly, who was 18 months old when Hopkins made his professional fight debut in October 1988, clashes with the wily 47-year-old "master."